Astrid: Joining the Brotherhood
by Proclamation
Summary: Damaged and cautious of the world, Astrid learned early in life that you can depend only on yourself. Sithis embraces all.
1. Riften

**A/U: I've been meaning to write an Elder Scrolls story for a while.**

"Halt!" Came the voice of one of the city guards beneath his helm, "If you wish to enter er the… wonderful, beautiful city of Riften, a fee of a hundred septims must be paid!"

Raising a brow, Astrid eyed the two men standing outside of Riften's eastern gate; both were fidgeting and shooting each other minute glances.

_As if they've got ants in their loins… _Astrid noted with a bit of frustrated amusement. Riften was where she was born, where she was raised for most of her early life, and she couldn't help feel some indignation at the two guards, who obviously believed her to be an outsider. Yes, she had changed much, Astrid couldn't deny that. Still… there was some sadness; a blow to her psyche that could simply be labeled as rejection. She expected some recognition.

_Better unrecognized than thrown in a cell._ The little voice in Astrid's head shook her from her reverie, and she pulled up her hood.

The guard who had spoken cleared his throat, as if expecting the young Nord woman in front of him to either pay up or walk away. She did neither.

"So this is what Riften has fallen to, eh?" Astrid sighed softly, although it was melodramatic enough to earn another fidget from the guards. She turned around for a few moments, watching the wind blow the leaves at each side of the dusty path she stood on. She tucked in her shawl as the chilly air swept by before sighing again, "Letting a poor woman freeze out here in such frigid weather."

The other guard, who had remained silent until then shrugged his shoulders, then hefted his shield from its slack position on his arm,

"My apologies miss, but you'll need to buy a key to enter the city." Shield affixed, he rested his hands on his hips, "If you don't, you'll have to go back to wherever you came from."

Astrid cursed silently in her mind, but it was expressed outwardly as a tentative bite of the lower lip.

Fifteen years; she had been away from Riften for fifteen years. Riften; the city of thieves, scoundrels, cutthroats. Astrid held little doubts that these guards fell into one of those said categories. She despised rip-offs, and this was exactly that…

The first guard tilted his head downwards to the right, and although his helm hid his gaze, Astrid knew that he was eyeing the lower portion of her dress, which exposed her thigh.

Rolling her eyes (and thanking Dibella), Astrid took a few steps forward towards the guard, raised her hand to trail a few fingers down his chest, and whispered in the low, sultry tone that she had practiced those nights when her uncle's friends would visit:

"Now, why does the Jarl have such a strong Nord like you watching the gate?"

The guard raised his hands, as if to push Astrid away… but he didn't. Taking advantage of the lapse of will, Astrid continued,

"Surely you've been doing an excellent job of course, so humble… you must be tired, guarding the gate for so long, hrm?" She went on her tiptoes, and pressed her hands lower against the guard, feeling through the cloth and chainmail that covered his abdomen. "I think you need a break… And I can give it to you, if you really want." One hand traveled to the guard's crotch, and he stiffened (ha). "But only if you let me through."

There was a silence after this. Not awkward like the one minutes earlier, but tense.

Astrid's lips parted slightly as she waited for the guard to respond.

The man cleared his throat for the second time that day and motioned with a nod to his comrade,

"Give her the key."

The second guard's head bobbed in what could have been shock or jovial teasing, but another nod from his mate, this time far firmer, forced him into compliance.

Astrid accepted the key and slowly let the breath that she was unknowingly holding out slowly through her nostrils. She moved for the gate, but the first guard grabbed her by the arm.

"I don't know how long you'll be around, lass, but I want my break… And I want it at The Bee and the Barb." He let her go, and turned back to his duty.

**...**

Astrid entered Riften for the first time in fifteen years.

Waves of unwelcomed nostalgia hit her repeatedly as she walked down the cobbled streets, which periodically turned to damp, rotten wood.

Everything felt the same, yet so… different.

Buildings were where small stalls had been, and in turn small stalls had replaced buildings. The gray sky that had seemingly adopted the city still hung over Riften, and slow moving fog added to Astrid's newfound curiosity of her old home.

_I suppose I shouldn't have expected things to be as they were, _Astrid thought, pursing her lips as a tramp strolled by, talking to himself, _Markarth was far better…_ She meant this of course, on a grander, aesthetic scale. Nothing could ever compare to Riften's air of mystery, and Astrid adored mystery.

The young woman's thoughts trailed back to the gate guard who she had agreed to meet with later. She wondered how he looked like… He sounded handsome; yet again, how can someone sound handsome? It wasn't the first time Astrid had used seduction when she wanted something. She wasn't a person who could be called charitable, but after four years of wandering Skyrim's wastelands, she felt the need to give something back. _Perhaps a dance for the handsome-voiced guard…_

Astrid continued to walk through the city, ignoring scrupulous glances from familiar faces whose minds thought they recognized this hooded woman.

_Best leave the hood on._ Astrid's little voice spoke to her once more, and she lowered her sharp gaze from a passing man. _If word comes out that the killer of a noble is loose…_

Astrid, who had spent much of her life in the company of wealthy, ignorant (wo)men, was quite ignorant herself about Skyrim's views on crime. Her violations in the Reach were as relevant as horse shit to the guards in the Rift. She'd learn that later.

Stopping in front of The Bee and the Barb, Astrid took a glance behind to see the night steal the last somberness of the sun, and Riften's bleary atmosphere became suddenly clear in the moonlight; fog dispersed, and stars twinkled. The bright moons of Nirn seemed almost ethereal over the city, and it was only then when Astrid realized why so many lowlives called Riften their home.

_Who wouldn't want to commit a crime on beautiful nights like these?_

As soon as she stepped into the inn, Astrid found herself face-to face with a young, attractive Imperial with dark brown hair and… oh… those deep, dark eyes…

Smiling weakly, Astrid felt her knees buckle slightly as her gaze traveled up and down the man: a mage, from the look of his robes. Unlike other Nords, Astrid made little fuss over mages. They could use their talents in the bed, after all-

"Hello!" Greeted the Imperial, tone too amiable to be truly genuine, "You seem the adventurous sort. My skill in battle is unmatched. Fortunately for you, that skill can be bought!"

_Battle?_ Astrid's mind went blank momentarily before she smiled once more and shook her head,

"…No, I… I prefer to travel alone," She pulled down her hood with a hand, revealing the pretty face, and long, dark blonde hair.

The Imperial seemed taken aback, and it was clear that he had not expected Astrid to appear so appealing.

Astrid's smile grew as she continued, "…But thank you for the offer. I'm sure you would make a fine companion, Mister…?"

The Imperial recovered quickly, which impressed Astrid enough to allow her knees to buckle again.

"I'm Marcurio, ma'am. It's perfectly fine, by the way." He shook Astrid's hand warmly, "I've come a long way from Cyrodiil for an adventure. I tried in Markarth, but that didn't work out too well, so… I came here!" He chuckled jovially, and then shrugged his shoulders. "You probably already knew that… My apologies for presuming so quickly." He raised a mug he had been holding. "I suppose I'll still be here when you change your mind. No one seems to enjoy working with a master of the arcane arts." He winked before sitting down and taking a long sip of his mead.

Astrid gave Marcurio a final smile before strolling for the bar.

_Imperials, _she thought to herself, rubbing her temples with both hands, _Talk… Too… Damn… Much._

An Argonian manned the counter. Astrid couldn't see the lizard's face, as it was occupied with cleaning mugs. She felt a slight feeling of revulsion as the thought of a scaly, slimy, shell-cracked reptile serving drinks.

The Argonian turned around, and Astrid was (pleasantly) surprised to see a pair of large breasts –scaly and pale- bulging underneath the female lizard's apron.

"Yes?" Asked the Argonian in a reptilian croak, her lidless eyes examining Astrid with no trace of emotion.

"A-a room, please?" Astrid replied after tearing her eyes away from the other female's cleavage. She didn't mind what sex her lovers were; pleasure was pleasure, after all. Up until now however, she had left a barrier prohibiting furballs and scales… well maybe furballs would remain out of her sensual sphere, but-

"I'll take you up then," Responded the Argonian after she received the septims, stepping from behind the bar and walking with swaying hips towards the inn's staircase.

Astrid followed, thinking on what that scaly tail could do. How it could pleasure, perhaps occasionally pain…

Moisture seeped down her thighs by the time she reached her room.

"Let me know if you need anything else." With that, the Argonian barkeep made her exit, closing the door and leaving Astrid standing, somewhat uncomfortably.

Sighing, she walked stiffly towards the bed, and then plopped down in the middle of the sheets, letting out a moan of relief.

Finally, after four years and twenty-two hours, she'd finally be sleeping in a bed.

A knock on the door.

Astrid's head popped up, and she swiftly reached for the dagger tied to her calf.

_That's what I get for taking my hood off,_ she thought brashly, leaping from the bed_, that damn Imperial said he had come from Markarth. Probably told the Watch about me…_ _He probably knows I'm on the run…_

A guard entered the room, his hands up and in the process of removing the helmet covering his head.

The dagger dropped from Astrid's grip and landed with a clatter on the wooden floor.

The familiar face lit up, and the guard brushed his reddish hair from across his eyes with a hand.

"I knew I recognized you lass," Began Brynjolf, taking a few steps towards Astrid, "I'm expecting that break you offered."

**A/U: There it is. I hope you enjoyed it. Second chapter will be posted soon. Feedback's welcomed, and if you liked, follow for more!**


	2. Prologue

**A/U: Thanks to all who reviewed, followed, faved, all that good stuff. **

"Brynjolf?"

Astrid's gasp was low, and so filled with disbelief that Brynjolf, in his Riften guard armor, stepped back and held his hands up,

"You don't think I'm some ghost now, do you lass?" A slow grin crept onto the roguish, handsome face. "We heard of what happened in Markarth– Vex and I... Delvin too."

Astrid's mind was almost completely blank as she listened to her old friend. All these names… _Brynjolf, Vex, Delvin…_ Her thoughts struggled against the belief that she had held for all those years. _They're all alive._

"… Vex has been searching all of Skyrim for you, between jobs, of course. Delvin had your trail until the wildlands in Eastmarch. We'd all thought some giant had-" Brynjolf was cut off as Astrid raced towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. "Ah- ha… easy now lass…" He gave Astrid a few awkward pats on the back.

"Oh Bryn…" She whispered into the man's shoulder, "I missed you so much. All of you."

Brynjolf laid a tentative kiss on Astrid's forehead before beckoning towards the bed, "Lie down. You look tired."

Astrid didn't complain as he led her to the bed. Her head was numb, even as her friend sat on the bedside and pulled the fur cover over her. In a daze, she looked up at him and whispered woefully,

"Your break," She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, "I'm sorry Bryn… I just can't now-"

"Hush." Brynjolf murmured decisively, wiping a few tears from the woman's streaked cheeks. He stood and rolled his shoulders back. "I think my service as one of Riften's finest has come to an end. Get some sleep lass."

…

Blinking open an eye, Astrid felt herself tense up, and then relax immediately after as the unfamiliar environment returned to her memory. She got up from the bed and yawned, wiping her bleary eyes with a hand. After a few moments of stretching, her senses began to sharpen.

There was an indistinct murmur coming from below, which Astrid realized was the tavern chatter

_I'm in a tavern. _She couldn't suppress a grin. _I'm in Riften._

A sudden knock on the door.

Clearing her throat, Astrid glanced around her room, "Ah, coming! I'm coming out!" She rushed towards the door, but it opened for her.

The Argonian barkeep stood there, hands on her hips and tongue flitting out,

"You've been in there for a day and a half."

Astrid gave the barkeep a weak smile and adjusted her dress, "Sorry, I really am." She searched around her belt for a few septims. "I didn't mean to overstay… Could I have the room for another day or so?"

The barkeep accepted the septims, and after giving Astrid a searching stare, dipped her head and walked downstairs.

_A day and a half? _Astrid groaned inwardly and rubbed her forehead. She had expected to awake early to find Brynjolf… _Oh, Brynjolf…_

After closing the doors to her room, Astrid let out a string of curses before racing down the staircase to the tavern. She eagerly looked around, searching for the man in guard armor.

No guard. No Brynjolf.

Marcurio, who appeared to have had a few too many drinks, meandered over to Astrid, flashing a less-than-charming smile and saying,

"Hello, you delicate… delicate piece of work! You shouldn't be traveling alone again! No need to fear, Marcurio is he-"

"No." Astrid cut him off brusquely, waving the Imperial away and ignoring his expression of hurt offense. Her gaze wandered around the tavern again before landing on the barkeep. Biting her lip, Astrid approached the counter and gave an apologetic smile,

"Excuse me, I'm really sorry for taking more of your time, but was there a guard here a while ago? Maybe he came down from upstairs yesterday? Red hair… good-looking?"

The barkeep resumed putting mugs back on the shelves. "Guard? Not that I know of. There was a man with red hair, but he never went upstairs." She set one mug down and wiped her pale green hands in her apron. "He left a few hours before you came down."

Astrid thanked the Argonian before walking briskly out of the Bee and the Barb.

It was dusk, and the city of Riften seemed far more murky than it had when Astrid had first reentered it. She felt uneasy as she wrapped her cloak tighter around her body. The chill ran thickly in the air.

She needed to find Brynjolf. He was the only face she'd been eager to see, but now he was gone.

_I can find him, _Astrid thought confidently, steps quickening as she walked through the market circle. _Riften isn't –that- big… _But to someone who had forgotten the streets of her home city after fifteen years of being away, Riften _was _that big. She wandered around for hours, Astrid did, tensing up whenever she heard the slightest noise on the deserted streets. She had taken a break to visit the graveyard when-

"Psst!"

The hiss came from a few bushes directly across from her, and Astrid's shoulders sagged as an average-sized man with a shaved pate emerged from the shrubbery.

"Astrid!" Cried the man, rushing forward and shaking her hand fondly. "By the Nine… is it really you? Brynjolf had better been telling the truth…" When Astrid didn't answer, the man arches a brow and stepped away, spreading his arms wide and exclaiming, "Don't you recognize me! Come on now, I know my hair's gone, but still…"

Another memory hit Astrid's mind like an arrow to the knee.

"Delvin?" She gasped, stepping away some, and then stopping as she backed into a tombstone. "D-delvin Mallory?" She took a few sharp breaths, and then suddenly, almost randomly, began to laugh.

Her giggles echoed across the graveyard, and a guard too far away to know what was happening hurried away to one of the more well-lit streets.

Delvin Mallory frowned a fraction at this reaction, then fully pouted, "Ah come on… I ain't that ugly am I?"

Astrid doubled over and rested her hands on her knees, giggles subsiding into muffled, more controlled huffs of amusement. It took her a full minute to straighten up again and look Delvin in the eye, who by now, appeared somewhat peeved,

"Alright, alright. I have no hair now. Done yet?"

Astrid took a deep breath, smoothed out her cloak and dress, and nodded, a ghost of a grin the only remnant of mirth on her expression. "Delvin… I can't believe it. Brynjolf mentioned you, but until… I thought you had burned in the fire…"

Delvin shrugged slightly, as if unsure exactly how to respond to this, and for a while he didn't, but eventually he muttered, "Some of us had to make it."

Sensing that she had brought up somber memories, Astrid pursed her lips a bit and looked over the man before her. The alarm that had rested in her minutes ago had now fully faded away, but there was something else replacing it.

"Delvin… Do you know where Brynjolf is?" She tried her best to say this in the most casual way possible, but she suspected that she failed, seeing Delvin's coy smile return.

"Ah yeah, old Brynjolf. Saw him yesterday… That's when he told me you was alive." The man wiped his eyes before continuing. "Didn't believe him of course. Set out this morning to try to find you though… But yeah, Brynjolf. I can take you to him, if you want."

Astrid shook her head almost immediately, and crossed her arms before her chest, "No. I can find him by myself." It was a lie of course, but a lie to inspire independence. She didn't want Delvin thinking that she was incapable of doing anything by herself.

Delvin let out a low chuckle, and then offered Astrid a hand, winking as he did do,

"I don't think Vex would let me live if she found out that I made you go through the Ratway alone."

**A/U: I hoped you enjoyed. Feedback's always welcomed! If you liked, give a follow.**


	3. Riften II

**A/U: Thanks to all who reviewed, followed, faved, all that good stuff. **

"Brynjolf?"

Astrid's gasp was low, and so filled with disbelief that Brynjolf, in his Riften guard armor, stepped back and held his hands up,

"You don't think I'm some ghost now, do you lass?" A slow grin crept onto the roguish, handsome face. "We heard of what happened in Markarth– Vex and I... Delvin too."

Astrid's mind was almost completely blank as she listened to her old friend. All these names… _Brynjolf, Vex, Delvin…_ Her thoughts struggled against the belief that she had held for all those years. _They're all alive._

"… Vex has been searching all of Skyrim for you, between jobs, of course. Delvin had your trail until the wildlands in Eastmarch. We'd all thought some giant had-" Brynjolf was cut off as Astrid raced towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. "Ah- ha… easy now lass…" He gave Astrid a few awkward pats on the back.

"Oh Bryn…" She whispered into the man's shoulder, "I missed you so much. All of you."

Brynjolf laid a tentative kiss on Astrid's forehead before beckoning towards the bed, "Lie down. You look tired."

Astrid didn't complain as he led her to the bed. Her head was numb, even as her friend sat on the bedside and pulled the fur cover over her. In a daze, she looked up at him and whispered woefully,

"Your break," She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, "I'm sorry Bryn… I just can't now-"

"Hush." Brynjolf murmured decisively, wiping a few tears from the woman's streaked cheeks. He stood and rolled his shoulders back. "I think my service as one of Riften's finest has come to an end. Get some sleep lass."

…

Blinking open an eye, Astrid felt herself tense up, and then relax immediately after as the unfamiliar environment returned to her memory. She got up from the bed and yawned, wiping her bleary eyes with a hand. After a few moments of stretching, her senses began to sharpen.

There was an indistinct murmur coming from below, which Astrid realized was the tavern chatter

_I'm in a tavern. _She couldn't suppress a grin. _I'm in Riften._

A sudden knock on the door.

Clearing her throat, Astrid glanced around her room, "Ah, coming! I'm coming out!" She rushed towards the door, but it opened for her.

The Argonian barkeep stood there, hands on her hips and tongue flitting out,

"You've been in there for a day and a half."

Astrid gave the barkeep a weak smile and adjusted her dress, "Sorry, I really am." She searched around her belt for a few septims. "I didn't mean to overstay… Could I have the room for another day or so?"

The barkeep accepted the septims, and after giving Astrid a searching stare, dipped her head and walked downstairs.

_A day and a half? _Astrid groaned inwardly and rubbed her forehead. She had expected to awake early to find Brynjolf… _Oh, Brynjolf…_

After closing the doors to her room, Astrid let out a string of curses before racing down the staircase to the tavern. She eagerly looked around, searching for the man in guard armor.

No guard. No Brynjolf.

Marcurio, who appeared to have had a few too many drinks, meandered over to Astrid, flashing a less-than-charming smile and saying,

"Hello, you delicate… delicate piece of work! You shouldn't be traveling alone again! No need to fear, Marcurio is he-"

"No." Astrid cut him off brusquely, waving the Imperial away and ignoring his expression of hurt offense. Her gaze wandered around the tavern again before landing on the barkeep. Biting her lip, Astrid approached the counter and gave an apologetic smile,

"Excuse me, I'm really sorry for taking more of your time, but was there a guard here a while ago? Maybe he came down from upstairs yesterday? Red hair… good-looking?"

The barkeep resumed putting mugs back on the shelves. "Guard? Not that I know of. There was a man with red hair, but he never went upstairs." She set one mug down and wiped her pale green hands in her apron. "He left a few hours before you came down."

Astrid thanked the Argonian before walking briskly out of the Bee and the Barb.

It was dusk, and the city of Riften seemed far more murky than it had when Astrid had first reentered it. She felt uneasy as she wrapped her cloak tighter around her body. The chill ran thickly in the air.

She needed to find Brynjolf. He was the only face she'd been eager to see, but now he was gone.

_I can find him, _Astrid thought confidently, steps quickening as she walked through the market circle. _Riften isn't –that- big… _But to someone who had forgotten the streets of her home city after fifteen years of being away, Riften _was _that big. She wandered around for hours, Astrid did, tensing up whenever she heard the slightest noise on the deserted streets. She had taken a break to visit the graveyard when-

"Psst!"

The hiss came from a few bushes directly across from her, and Astrid's shoulders sagged as an average-sized man with a shaved pate emerged from the shrubbery.

"Astrid!" Cried the man, rushing forward and shaking her hand fondly. "By the Nine… is it really you? Brynjolf had better been telling the truth…" When Astrid didn't answer, the man arched a brow and stepped away, spreading his arms wide and exclaiming, "Don't you recognize me! Come on now, I know my hair's gone, but still…"

Another memory hit Astrid's mind like an arrow to the knee.

"Delvin?" She gasped, stepping away some, and then stopping as she backed into a tombstone. "D-delvin Mallory?" She took a few sharp breaths, and then suddenly, almost randomly, began to laugh.

Her giggles echoed across the graveyard, and a guard too far away to know what was happening decided he wanted to see his wife that night and hurried away to one of the more well-lit streets.

Delvin Mallory frowned a fraction at this reaction, then fully pouted, "Ah come on… I ain't that ugly am I?"

Astrid doubled over and rested her hands on her knees, giggles subsiding into muffled, more controlled huffs of amusement. It took her a full minute to straighten up again and look Delvin in the eye, who by now, appeared somewhat peeved,

"Alright, alright. I have no hair now. Done yet?"

Astrid took a deep breath, smoothed out her cloak and dress, and nodded, a ghost of a grin the only remnant of mirth on her expression. "Delvin… I can't believe it. Brynjolf mentioned you, but until… I thought you had burned in the fire…"

Delvin shrugged slightly, as if unsure exactly how to respond to this, and for a while he didn't, but eventually he muttered, "Some of us had to make it."

Sensing that she had brought up somber memories, Astrid pursed her lips a bit and looked over the man before her. The alarm that had rested in her minutes ago had now fully faded away, but there was something else replacing it.

"Delvin… Do you know where Brynjolf is?" She tried her best to say this in the most casual way possible, but she suspected that she failed, seeing Delvin's coy smile return.

"Ah yeah, old Brynjolf. Saw him yesterday… That's when he told me you was alive." The man wiped his eyes before continuing. "Didn't believe him o' course. Set out this morning to try to find you though… But yeah, Brynjolf. I can take you to him, if you want."

Astrid shook her head almost immediately, and crossed her arms before her chest, "No. I can find him by myself." It was a lie of course, but a lie to inspire independence. She didn't want Delvin thinking that she was incapable of doing anything by herself.

Delvin let out a low chuckle, and then offered Astrid a hand, winking as he did do,

"I don't think Vex would let me live if she found out that I made you go through the Ratway alone."

**A/U: I hoped you enjoyed. Feedback's always welcomed! If you liked, give a follow.**


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